Buffing wheel and cartridge

ABSTRACT

A buffing wheel consisting of a generally ring-shape body of buffing material, a ring-like clamping member of polygonal shape disposed coaxially within and attached to the body of buffing material, and a polygonal mounting hub disposed coaxially within the clamping member and formed of a resilient rubber-like material. A cartridge consisting of a plurality of such buffing wheels arranged in a side-by-side relation is semi-permanently mounted on a buffing spindle. Projecting fingers can be provided on at least some of the hubs extending into corresponding openings in others of the hubs so as to interlock adjacent wheels in the cartridge and flanged end hubs can be provided where additional locking of the end hubs to the clamping members is desired.

United States Paten 1 [111 3,733,?54

Jeske [4 1 ay 22, 11973 [54] BUFFING WHEEL AND CARTRIDGE FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS Filed: Jan. 26, 1970 21 Appl. No.: 6,044

RelatedU.S. Application Data [63] Continuation of Ser. No. 648,717, June '26, 1967',

abandoned.

[52] US. Cl. ..51/375, 51/358, 51/401 [51] Int. Cl. ..B24d 9/02, B24d 17/00, 824d l 1100 [58] Field of Search ..5l/372, 375, 394, 51/395, 358, 382, 406, 168; 15/230, 230.l-230.18, 104.19, 104.20

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 657,335 9/1900 Collins ..l5/l83 1,130,673 3/1915 Fritsch ...l5/l79 1,216,244 2/1917 McDowell ......5l/375 1,953,181 4/1934 Lintereur ..51/375 2,594,812 4/1952 Seelenfreund ..l5/230.l7 3,191,208 6/1965 Churchill ..l5/230.17

Inventor: Bernard leske, 1614 1 Clay Avenue, Detroit, Mich. 48211 836 l/l902 GreatBritain 608,179 11/1960 Canada ..15/230.15

Primary Examiner-Othell M. Simpson Attorney-Olsen & Stephenson 5 7 ABSTRACT A buffing wheel consisting of a generally ring-shape body of buffing material, a ring-like clamping member of polygonal shape disposed coaxially within and attached to the body of buffing material, and a polygonal mounting hub disposed coaxially within the clamping member and formed of a resilient rubberlike material. A cartridge consisting of a plurality of such buffing wheels arranged in a side-by-side relation is semi-permanently mounted on a buffing spindle. Projecting fingers can be provided on at least some of the hubs extending into corresponding openings in others of the hubs so as to interlock adjacent wheels in the cartridge and flanged end hubs can be provided where additional locking of the end hubs to the clamping members is desired.

11 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PATENTED MAY22I975 NVENTOR BERNARD G. JESKE FIG. 3

ATTORNEYS 1 BUFFING WHEEL AND CARTRIDGE This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 648,717, filed June 26, 1967, now abandoned.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The general practice in the use of buffing wheels is to mount a desired number of wheels on a spindle to accomplish a particular buffing operation, and rotate the spindle so that the peripheries of the wheels can be engaged with the parts to be buffed. Presently available buffing wheels include annular cloth bodies mounted on metal or cardboard mounting centers. A plurality of these wheels are mountedon a spindle so that the spindle extends through the centers, and then the'wheels are squeezed together between'flanges mounted on the spindle. A relatively high axial force must be applied to the flanges to prevent relative slipping between the wheels. If a large number of wheels aremounted on the same spindle, the frictional force derived from the axial squeezing force is not sufficient in many, cases to prevent slipping. Thepresent solution to this problem is to pre-assemble the wheels in cartridgeform by affixing them to a sleeve or the like to'prevent relative rotation. This requires a numberof manufacturing steps including balancing, and requires the buffinglwh'eel user to inventory a large variety of cartridges of different lengths and wheel spacing arrangements. The result is high manufacturing and inventory costs which add significantly to the cost of the buffed parts.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION.

This invention provides abuffing wheel in which the ring-like clamping member which holds the buff body is of polygonal shape and a mounting hub for the clamping member is correspondingly shaped. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the hub is formed of a resilient rubber-likematerialto improve its assembly with the clamping member, the spindle, and, in a cartridge with adjacent hub's, but the advantages obtained by virtue of the polygonal shape are obtained regardless of thematerial from which the .hub is formed.

This enables on the job." assembly of a mounting hub with a buff body without any 'danger of slippage between the mounting hub and the clamping'ring by virtue of their complimentary polygonal shapes. Furthermore, the formation of the mounting hub from the rubber-like material facilitates its mounting'on the shaft with less chance of slipping, and provides a cushioning effect which is advantageous from the standpoint of eliminating vibration and'providing for a smooth operation of the buffing wheel. The wheelof this invention is also constructed so thatthere are areas of concentration of material in the buff body. By virtue of its polygonal shape, the clamping member has flats and points. The buffing material is assembled with the clamping member so that the material is bunched up, and thus bulked and concentrated, more in the areas of the flats. This enables the assembly .ofa plurality of wheels so as to form a cartridge which. does not have a uniformly hard edge and is thus advantageous for certain buffing operations; It also enables a user to buff the same area with a lesser number of wheels in the cartridge than was heretofore required. This arrangement of the material in the buff body can be achieved with wheels having clamping members of shapes other than polygonal.

A buffing wheel user can stock an inventory of buffing wheels and mounting hubs and make up cartridges as desired to the most advantageous lengths taking into account the location of the buffing wheel and the parts to be buffed. Each mounting hub can be provided with projecting fingers which extend into openings in the adjacent hub. This enables adjacent hubs to be relatively rotated during assembly to desired positions in which the rotational balance of the cartridge is improved. In addition, the mounting hubs are provided with ventilation grooves for transmitting cooling air to the bodies of the wheels, and the amount of this air can be varied, as desired, by using a hub of a particular thickness. This thickness variation can also be used to vary the density of the buffing material to adapt it to a particular application.

It is an object of this invention, therefore, to provide an improved buffing wheel and an improved buffing wheel cartridge.

Further objects, features and advantages of this invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following description, the appended claims, and the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating a buffing wheel cartridge according to this invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view, looking along line 2-2 in FIG. 1, showing the improved buffing wheel of this invention;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged detail sectional view illustrating the assembly of the mounting hub in the buffing wheel of this invention with the associated buff body clamping.member; and

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary edge view of the buffing wheel of this invention as viewed from the position indicated by the arrow 4 in FIG. 2.

With reference to the drawing, the buffing wheel of this invention, indicated generally at 10, is illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 as consisting of a generally ring-shape body of buffing material 12 such as a cloth material of soft or hard synthetic or natural fibers such as cotton, sisal, or combinations of cotton and sisal, a hexagonal clamping member 14, and a hexagonal mounting hub 16. In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the body 12 consists of several layers of cloth. The clamping member 14 consists of a strip of material such as steel formed with alligator-type clamping jaws 18, formed to the illustrated hexagonal shape, and secured, such as by welding, at its ends. It is to be understood 7 that while the member 14 is shown as being of hexagonal shape, with six straight sides 24, it can be of other polygonal shapes with more or less straight sides 24, as desired.

The mounting hub 16 is, in a preferred embodiment of the invention, formed of a resilient rubber-like material such as natural or synthetic rubber, and is preferably molded to the illustrated hexagonal shape. It is to be understood of course that the hub 16 can also be of other polygonal shapes, but in each instance the hub 16 is of a shape complimentary to the shape of the mounting member 14 so that the hub 16 can be moved into a position telescoped within the member 14, as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. The hub 16 has a plurality of straight sides 26, and at least some of the sides 26 are provided with air transmission grooves 22 for a purpose to appear presently. The hub 16 also has an axial spindle or shaft opening 28 of a diameter such that a spin-- As illustrated in FIG. 1, a plurality of the buffing wheels 10 can be mounted on the shaft 30 so as to form a buffing wheel cartridge indicated generally at 32. Each mounting hub 16 is formed with at least one through opening 34 which is parallel to the shaft opening 28, and at least one finger or projection 36 which also extends in a direction parallel to the opening 26. In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, each hub 16 is provided with four holes 34 and two projections 36, which are arranged in diametrically opposite pairs. The openings 34 are located a predetermined distance from the hub axis 38 and the fingers 36 are located the same distance from the axis 38. As a result, when the cartridge 32 is formed, the fingers 36 in one hub 16 can be extended through the openings 34 in the adjacent hub, so as to lock adjacent buffing wheels together. Each finger or projection 36 is preferably of a length, as shown in FIG. 1, to extend through the adjacent hub 16 and partially through the next adjacent hub 16. This provides for an effective interconnection of all the mounting hubs 16 in the cartridge 32.

The cartridge 32 is completed by the provision of means on the shaft 30 for applying axially directed compressive forces to the mounting hubs 16. In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, this means consists of a first flange plate 40 engaged with a fixed stop 41 on the shaft 30 and engaged with the hub 16 in one of the endmost buffing wheels 10. A second flange plate 42 engages the other endmost hub 16, and a nut 44 threaded on the shaft 30 is movable toward the plate 40 so as to move the plate 42 toward the plate 40 and thereby apply axially directed compressive forces to the hubs 16 in the cartridge 32. When the hubs 16 are subjected to these compressive forces, the rubber-like material from which the hubs 16 are formed must flow in a direction radially of the hubs 16. This results in an effective locking of the hubs 16 to the shaft 30 at the hub openings 28. It also results in an effective movement of the hub sides 26 into frictional and gripping engagement with the mounting member 14, as illustrated in FIG. 3 in broken lines, the position of the hub 16 before it is subjected to the compressive forces being shown in solid lines. As shown in FIG. 3, the hub 16 is provided with a radially directed flange 46 which engages one side of the clamping member 14 to further complete the gripping of the clamping ring 14 by the mounting hub 16.

As shown in FIG. 4, the cloth forming the body 12 is bulked and concentrated more in the areas 12a of the body 12 which are radially aligned with the flats 24 on the clamping member 14 than it is in the areas 12b that are radially aligned with the points 25 at the intersections of the flats 24. This uneven distribution of material is advantageous in certain bufflng operations. It can be achieved, for example, by first making the member 14 of circular shape and then deforming it to the polygonal shape. Other manufacturing techniques can also be employed to either exaggerate or eliminate this uneven distribution of cloth, as desired.

It can thus be seen that a desired number of buffing wheels 10 can be kept in inventory by a buffing wheel user for subsequent assembly in the necessary numbers to make up a cartridge 32 of the length desired by the user. In making up the cartridge 32, adjacent buffing wheels 10 can be relatively rotated, prior to the assembly of the projections 36 and openings 34 therein to achieve the most balanced cartridge 32 which will not vibrate when operated at high speeds. During rotation of the cartridge 32, the movement of the buffing wheels 10 draws air into the air transmission grooves 22 in a direction axially of the shaft 30 for subsequent flow radially between the metal clamping members 14 so as to cool the buff bodies 12. In the cartridge shown in FIG. 1, the mounting hubs 16, when compressed, are slightly thicker than the thickness of the clamping rings 14. This prevents metal-to-metal contact in the cartridge 32 and provides the necessary space between adjacent clamping members 14 for flow of cooling air. This space can be increased, if desired, by making the hubs 16 thicker, to provide for increased air flow and also decrease the density of the material in the buffing wheel body 12. This will provide the cartridge with a softer edge which will mush into engagement with the parts being buffed. The hubs 16 can also be of the same or smaller thickness than the members 14 if desired in a particular environment, and in a particular cartridge a number of hubs 16 can be employed which is greater or less than the number of clamping members 14. The hubs 16 can also be formed without the flanges 46 when this facilitates assembly of a cartridge 32. This is the case when it is advantageous to leave a number of hubs 16 semi-permanently on a shaft 30 and mount a desired number of members 14 thereon in the spaced relation desired for each buffing operation. In such case the end hubs 16 in the cartridge 32 can be of a different construction so that they are locked to the end flange plates 40 and 42, as shown for the hub 16 adjacent the plate 42 in FIG. 1. In such a case, if the flange plates 40 and 42 are keyed to the shaft 30 and adjacent hubs are interconnected by the fingers 36, the compressive force required to maintain the wheels 10 in assembly relation can be reduced.

It will be understood that the buffing wheel and cartridge which are herein disclosed and described are presented for purposes of explanation and illustration and are not intended to indicate limits of the invention, the scope of which is defined by the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a buffing wheel which includes a generally ringshape body of buffing material, the improvement comprising:

a clamping member of hollow polygonal shape disposed within and attached to said body in a substantially coplanar relation therewith, and

a polygonal mounting hub of a shape complimentary to the shape of said clamping member, said hub being disposed coaxially within and in driving engagement with said clamping member.

2. In a buffing wheel having the structure set forth in claim 1 wherein said hub is formed of a resilient rubber-like material so that said hub will expand radially into gripping engagement with said clamping member in response to the application of compressive forces thereto directed substantially parallel to the axis thereof.

3. In a buffing wheel having the structure set forth in claim 1 wherein said mounting hub has a plurality of substantially straight edges at least one of which is formed with a groove extending thereacross for flow of cooling air to said body.

4. In a buffing wheel having the structure set forth in claim 2 wherein said hub has an axial mounting opening, the size of which is reduced in response to said radial expansion of said hub.

5.-A buffing wheel cartridge comprising a plurality of buffing wheels arranged in a substantially coaxial sideby-side relation, each of said buffing wheels comprismg:

a generally ring-shape body of buffing material,

a ring-like clamping member of polygonal shape arranged in a supporting relation with said body in a coaxial relation therewith, and

" a polygonal mounting hub having an axis disposed concentrically within said clamping member and being of a shape complimentary thereto, said hub being formed of a resilient rubber-like material.

6. A buffing wheel cartridge according to claim 5 further including means for applying compressive forces to said hubs directed substantially parallel to the axis thereof so that said hubs will expand radially into gripping engagement with said clamping members.

7. A buffing wheel cartridge according to claim 6 wherein each of said hubs has at least one opening extended therethrough and located a predetermined distance from said axis and at least one projection located substantially the same distance from said axis, and

wherein the mounting hubs for adjacent ones of said wheels are arranged so that said projection on one hub extends into said opening in the adjacent hub.

8. A buffing wheel cartridge according to claim 7 wherein at least some of said edges are formed with cooling air transmission grooves which communicate with corresponding grooves in the adjacent hub.

9. A buffing wheel comprising a generally ring-like clamping member, a continuous ring-shape body of buft'mg material mounted on and extending radially outwardly from said clamping member, said material in said body being unevenly distributed in a regular pattern along the circumference of said body so that there is a substantially greater bulk of said material at some areas on said circumference than there is at other areas.

10. A buffing wheel according to claim 9 wherein said clamping member is of polygonal shape having a plurality of straight sides and said areas of greater bulk are substantially radially aligned with said straight sides.

11. A buffing wheel cartridge according to claim 7 wherein each said hub has a plurality of said openings arranged in pairs and a plurality of said projections arranged in similar pairs, and wherein said openings and projections are of a size and shape such that said projections can be fit snugly within said openings. 

1. In a buffing wheel which includes a generally ring-shape body of buffing material, the improvement comprising: a clamping member of hollow polygonal shape disposed within and attached to said body in a substantially coplanar relation therewith, and a polygonal mounting hub of a shape complimentary to the shape of said clamping member, said hub being disposed coaxially within and in driving engagement with said clamping member.
 2. In a buffing wheel having the structure set forth in claim 1 wherein said hub is formed of a resilient rubber-like material so that said hub will expand radially into gripping engagement with said clamping member in response to the application of compressive forces thereto directed substantially parallel to the axis thereof.
 3. In a buffing wheel having the structure set forth in claim 1 wherein said mounting hub has a plurality of substantially straight edges at least one of which is formed with a groove extending thereacross for flow of cooling air to said body.
 4. In a buffing wheel having the structure set forth in claim 2 wherein said hub has an axial mounting opening, the size of which is reduced in response to said radial expansion of said hub.
 5. A buffing wheel cartridge comprising a plurality of buffing wheels arranged in a substantially coaxial side-by-side relation, each of said buffing wheels comprising: a generally ring-shape body of buffing material, a ring-like clamping member of polygonal shape arranged in a supporting relation with said body in a coaxial relation therewith, and a polygonal mounting hub having an axis disposed concentrically within said clamping member and being of a shape complimentary thereto, said hub being formed of a resilient rubber-like material.
 6. A buffing wheel cartridge according to claim 5 further including means for applying compressive forces to said hubs directed substantially parallel to the axis thereof so that said hubs will expand radially into gripping engagement with said clampiNg members.
 7. A buffing wheel cartridge according to claim 6 wherein each of said hubs has at least one opening extended therethrough and located a predetermined distance from said axis and at least one projection located substantially the same distance from said axis, and wherein the mounting hubs for adjacent ones of said wheels are arranged so that said projection on one hub extends into said opening in the adjacent hub.
 8. A buffing wheel cartridge according to claim 7 wherein at least some of said edges are formed with cooling air transmission grooves which communicate with corresponding grooves in the adjacent hub.
 9. A buffing wheel comprising a generally ring-like clamping member, a continuous ring-shape body of buffing material mounted on and extending radially outwardly from said clamping member, said material in said body being unevenly distributed in a regular pattern along the circumference of said body so that there is a substantially greater bulk of said material at some areas on said circumference than there is at other areas.
 10. A buffing wheel according to claim 9 wherein said clamping member is of polygonal shape having a plurality of straight sides and said areas of greater bulk are substantially radially aligned with said straight sides.
 11. A buffing wheel cartridge according to claim 7 wherein each said hub has a plurality of said openings arranged in pairs and a plurality of said projections arranged in similar pairs, and wherein said openings and projections are of a size and shape such that said projections can be fit snugly within said openings. 